Martin Luther King was assassinated 50 years ago while on the balcony of a hotel in Memphis, Tennessee.
He was the figurehead for the civil rights movement that fought against racial segregation in the US and inspired non-violent civil disobedience to effect change.
His powerful oratory, including his memorable I Have A Dream speech, put the issue of racial discrimination at the centre of debate.
The political landscape has changed in the US to the extent that Barack Obama was elected the first African-American president in 2008.
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